Remember to Clean your Gutters this Fall

10/7/2019 (Permalink)

Cleaning your gutters is extremely important this Fall!

Thoroughly cleaning your Wilkes-Barre home’s gutters every spring and fall will keep them working like they should. Leaves can build up and clog the downspouts, which can cause water damage to your roof.  Water pouring over the gutters or from leaks can end up next to your home’s foundation, in the basement or crawlspace. Follow these tips below to keep your home safe and dry this Fall. 

A hose-end attachment specially designed for gutters may make this project a lot easier. If you need to clean from a ladder, follow these steps.

Step 1
Begin cleaning the gutter near a downspout.

Step 2
Remove the large debris (leaves, twigs, etc.) with a trowel and dump it in a bucket.

Step 3
To clean out finer materials, flush the gutter lengths with a hose starting at the end opposite the downspout. Alternatively, you can use a gutter-cleaning attachment on a hose. If the water doesn’t drain, recheck the downspout strainer and clean as necessary.

If gutter water still doesn’t drain, the downspout may be clogged.

1. Check the drain end. If the downspout runs underground, remove it from the pipe as needed.
2. Install a small nozzle on the hose, and lock it at full pressure. Turn on the water and feed the hose up from the bottom of the spout. If this doesn’t clear the downspout or the nozzle is too big, use a plumber’s snake tool to clear the blockage.
3. Reattach the downspout.
4. Flush the entire gutter again.
5. Be sure to clean the downspout strainers.